One Flat Tax on Every Imported Car — Would That Actually Bring Prices Down?

Sri Lanka's vehicle tax today is layered: customs duty, a surcharge, excise, VAT and PAL all stacked together, with the exact mix changing by engine size, age and vehicle type. Importers say that's exactly why only a narrow slice of models ever reaches the market here. Ahead of the 2027 Budget, the Ceylon Automobile Importers Association has proposed scrapping the layered system for one flat fee on every imported vehicle, arguing it would cut the guesswork and bring middle-class buyers back in. Supporters say a flat rate is predictable — no more waiting on a customs valuation to find out if your "affordable" car just became unaffordable. Critics say flat tax schemes usually end up subsidising big-engine SUVs while pushing small-car buyers to pay proportionally more than they do now, since bigger engines currently carry a heavier share of the tax. If you've priced an import recently, where did the current tax layers actually hurt you most — engine size, vehicle age, or something else entirely? Would a flat fee have made your car cheaper or more expensive? ඔයාගේ වාහනේ බද්ද ගණනය කරපු විදිහ කියන්න — flat tax එකක් ආවොත් ඔයාට ලාබද අලාබද?